Automatic container rim dip inspection machine



Sept. 14, 1965 F. 2. FousE ETAL 3,206,026

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26, 1961 9 SheetsSheet 1 IN VEN TORS FQEDE /CK Z. Fousa BY MAL/AM H Far/66' IM MM Sept. 14, 1965 F. 2. FOUSE ET AL 3,206,026

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS figEDE/ /QK Z. FOL/s5 Mum/v H E7055 Sept. 14, 1965 AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26. 1961 F.Z.FOUSE ETAL 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 35 I f 7) NI 5 g J m V Q w *1 X u J a J lq J U as I J J J HVVETWTORS fkzoawcx Z fEwsE BY MLL/AM 605E p 14, 1965 F. 2. FOUSE ETAL 3,206,026

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 .1'. 5. IN TORS FQEDQQ/QK E9066 Mam/an f/ I a/6E WWW Sept. 14, 1965 F. 2. FOUSE ETAL AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS fyaos /c Z. FousE p 1965 F. z. FOUSE ETAL 3,206,026

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY 24/41"; M Faust yaw? ATTOP/VEY AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26. 1961 Sept. 14, 1965 F. 2. FOUSE ETAL 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS IY6DEQICI Z. Fouss I BY MLLJA/I H EL SE WWI/MIA ArrOP V Y p 14, 65 F. 2. FOUSE ETAL 3,206,926

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Sept. 14, 1965 F. 2. FOUSE ETAL AUTOMATIC CONTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MACHINE Filed July 26, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 with United States Patent 3,2ti6,026 AUTOMATIC CGNTAINER RIM DIP INSPECTION MAtII-IINE Frederick Z. Fouse and William II. Fouse, both of Lancaster, Ohio, assignors to Anchor Hocking Giass Corporation, Lancaster, Ohio, a corporation of Deiaware Filed July 26, 1961, Ser. No. 128,629 Claims. (Cl. 2.09-90) The present invention relates to a machine for detecting imperfections or faults in the rim portions of containers and relates more particularly to a machine for detecting objectionable dips or waves in the rims of containers automatically and at high speed and for removing the defective containers from a supply of containers.

This machine is particularly adapted for use in checking glass food containers prior to their being sealed with closure caps wherein a resilient gasket in the closure cap engages the rim portion of the containers to form a hermetic seal. Where such seals are used it is essential that the sealing surface of the containers, normally called the container finish, be free from any imperfections which allow air to enter the sealed containers causing the packaged product to spoil.

One type of flaw which prevents the formation of a perfect seal and which is extremely diflicult to detect is a defect known as a rim dip. A rim dip is a slight depression in the jar finish. Where several dips or waves occur in a row the defect is called a wavy finish.

While some defects in containers can be readily detected either by visual inspection or by automatic machine inspection, rim dips are extremely difficult to detect either by visual inspection or with present container inspection machinery.

In visual inspection it is extremely difiicult for the inspector to find relatively slight rim dips such as, for example, a dip of about .01 inch in depth although for many container sealing operations a dip of this magnitude or less is objectionable and leads to a failure of the container seal. It is particularly difi'icult to detect rim clips of this magnitude by visual inspection at a satisfactory inspection rate. Another serious problem encountered in visual inspection for rim dips is the inability of the inspector to discriminate in border line cases between rim dips which are objectionably deep and those which are not deep enough to cause sealing failures. Where such discrimination is lacking in the inspection, it is necessary to reject a large number of containers which are otherwise satisfactory or to risk sealing failures by passing the questionable containers.

The machine of the present invention performs a selective, sensitive and automatic inspection of containers for rim dips at exerternely high speeds. It rejects only those containers having rim dips which are of an objectionable depth 'as the machine may be set to have an inspection sensitivity of the order of .001 inch so that it rejects, for example, a container having a rim dip of a depth of .009 inch while it passes containers with rim dips of .008 inch in depth.

The dividing line between the containers which are rejected and those which are passes is easily set as desired for the particular container being inspected. This provides an improved rim dip inspection machine which may be used directly in line with other high speed inspection machines operating to detect other faults in the containers and thus it provides a significant reduction in the inspection time and cost. The machine also permits better inspection to prevent the use of any defective containers and also reduces container wastage by carefully discriminating between containers having objectionable and unobjectionable rim dips.

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Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for the inspection of container rims for rim dips or wavy finishes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automatic machine for detecting containers with objectionable rim dips and for removing them from a supply of containers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rim dip inspection machine for handling containers of a variety of sizes and shapes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a selective inspection machine for containers capable of discriminating between rim dips of objectionable and unobjectionable depth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a high speed container rim dip inspection machine of extreme reliability and durability.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon em ployment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the container rim dip inspection machine;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a vertical sectional view of the star wheel taken along line 2A2A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the machine taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the collector rings taken along line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the collector rings taken along line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of an inspection head in inspecting position on a container;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the inspection head of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the inspection head taken along line 10-40 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged detailed view of the sensing roller of the inspection head in an exaggerated dip on a rim of a container;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the machine showing an inspection head in position on a container and the container being rotated between the star wheel and a container rotating shoe;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view illustrating the machine in line with another inspection machine; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the electrical detection system.

The rim dip inspection machine 1 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a base 2 which rotatably supports an inspection turret 3. A series of individual inspection heads 4 are mounted around the edge of the inspection turret 3 and each head 4 is moved downwardly into the engagement with the rim of a jar 5 as the jars 5 are moved from a jar feed conveyor 6 beneath the inspection turret 3 by a jar spacing star wheel 7. As the jars 5 are moved about an arcuate path beneath the inspection turret 3 by the star wheel 7, an inspection head 4 is lowered into rolling engagement with the rim of each jar 5 to inspect it for rim dips. If an objectionable rim dip is detected on a jar 5,

the jar 5 is passed from the star wheel 7 onto a defective jar take-off wheel 8. If no rim dips are detected by the inspection head 4, the jars are carried past the defective jar take-off wheel 8 to a normal jar take-off wheel 9.

The inspection turret 3, the take-off wheels 8 and 9 and the other principal moving portions of the machine are driven in synchronism with each other by a drive motor 10 through the drive coupling system illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The drive motor 10 rotates a main drive shaft 11 through the intermediation of pulleys 12 and .13 and drive belt 14. The main drive shaft 11 turns the inspection turret 13 by being coupled to the vertical rotating drive sleeve 15 which is rotatably mounted on the stationary turret mounting post 16. The coupling between the main drive shaft 11 and the rotating sleeve 15 comprises gears 17 and 18, horizontal shaft 19 andgears 20 and 21.

The defective jar take-off wheel 8 is rotated in synchronism with the inspection turret .3 by being mounted on the hollow vertical drive shaftZZ which is driven from the turret rotating sleeve 15 by the gear train 23-26.

The normal jar take-01f wheel 9 is similarly rotated in synchronism with the inspection turret 3 by having its hollow vertical drive shaft 27 coupled to the turret rotating sleeve 15 by gear train23, 28-60.

The feed conveyor 6 is driven by end pulley 31 (FIG. 1) which is coupled to the horizontal drive shaft 19 through the intermediation of sprockets 32 and 33 and drive chain 34.

In order to facilitate and control the entry of the jars 5 into the pockets 35 of the star wheel 7, a reciprocating gate 36 is mounted at the end of the feed conveyor 6. The gate 36 is periodically moved clear of the line of the -.jars 5 at the correct time to permit the end jar 5 to, be

moved into a star Wheel pocket 55. The gate 36 is controlled by the operation of 'a feed cam 37 mounted on the end of horizontal shaft 19 and coupled to the gate 36 through the intermediation of cam follower 38, shaft 39 and connecting-links 40 and 41.

After a jar 5 moves from conveyor 6 to a pocket 35 in the star wheel 7, the star wheel 7 carries the jar through the inspection station designated at A in FIG. 2. During its travel through this portion of the star wheel rotation,

- each of the jars 5 is rotated about its vertical axis by being engaged on its outer sidewalls by the friction shoes 46 and on its inner sidewalls by rollers 47 which are mounted in the pockets 35 -of the star wheel 7. Each'of the friction shoes 46 is pivotally mounted on the machine base 2 on pinions 48. The inner surface 49 of each friction shoe 46 is covered with a friction material and is held against the containers by the elongated spring '50 which engages the outer edges 51 of each of the friction shoes 46 to urge the friction shoes 46 resiliently inwardly against the moving jars 5. Thus, it is seen that each jar 5 is rotated by the combined retarding friction forces of the friction shoes 46 in cooperation with the forward movement of the jars 5 by the rotating star wheel 7.

An inspection head 4 is mounted above each of the pockets 35 on a head support 52 (FIG. 3) which is rotatably mounted on the stationary post 16 and is connected to the rotating star Wheel 7 bymeans of the connecting rods 53. A circular cam 54 is fixedly mounted on the stationary post 16 to control the vertical position of each of the inspection heads 4 through the intermediation of a cam roller 55 on each inspection head 4. Each inspection head 4 is slidably mounted on a vertical mounting rod '56 to permit the vertical position of the inspection head 4 to be controlled by the-cam 54 as the heads 4 rotate about the ,post 16 above the moving containers 5. As each jar 5 is moved into the inspection station A and into the contact with the friction shoes 46, the cam 54 lowers the inspection head 4 related to that container until the head 4 rests on top of the rotating jar 5.

In order to make the inspection head easily adaptable for jars of different sizes, the pockets 35 are preferably made separate from the star wheel 7 as illustrated in FIG. 2A. These separate pockets 35 are attached to the star wheel 7 by suitable bolts or other fasteners and various sets of pockets of differing sizes are provided to accommodate the various standard sized jars. When the inspection is changed from one jar size to an other, the appropriate pockets 35 are mounted on the star wheel 7 to provide for the centering and rotation of each jar beneath an inspection head 4 by the friction shoes 46.

The inspection heads 4 and their operation will be described with particular reference to detailed FIGS. 8-11 and FIG. 12 which is a perspective view of an inspection head 4 in its inspection position on a container 5.

A pivotally mounted contact plate is attached to the leveling plate 61 of the inspection head frame 62 by a pivot pin 63. A jar finish contact Whee164 is rotatably mounted on each of the two free edges of .the contact plate 60 and the two contact wheels 64 make rolling contact with the rim of the rotating ,jar so that the inspection head 4 is positioned at a predetermined level with respect to all portions of the ,plane of thejar rim even though the plane of the rim may be slightly tilted from the horizontal.

An additional contact wheel 64' is rotatably mounted on the leveling plate 61 to contact the jar rim between contact wheels 64. This contact wheel 64' is rotatably mounted on a pinion 67 on the leveling plate 61. In order to cause the contact wheel 64' to accommodate itself to the .plane of the jar rim, the .leveling .plate 61 is pivotally mounted on the inspection head frame v62 on the pinions 68 on the lower ends of the spaced supports 68 connected at 69 to oppositesides of the inspection head frame 62. Thus, it will be seen that the inspection head 4 when lowered onto jar 5 has its jar contacting Wheels 64 and 64 adjustably positioned by means of the double pivot including the .pivotal mounting 63 for the contact wheels 64 on the contact plate 60 and the pivotal mounting 67 for the leveling plate 61 which mounts the third contact wheel 64'.

A sensing wheel is mounted on the leveling plate 61 of the inspection head 4 on a crank arrn-66 so that the sensing wheel '65 is positioned intermediate the contact wheels 64 and adjacent to the pivot pin 63. The crank arm 66 is pivotally attached at 70 to the leveling plate 61. The sensing wheel 65 is urged downwardly against the jar finish by means of a spring 71 connected between the crank-66 and an upper attachment 72 on a vertical extension 73 of the leveling plate 61. Thus, it will be seen that as the sensing wheel'65 contacts the rotating rim of a jars 5, the position of its upper end will be determined by the level of the jar rim and a dip in the jar rim will move the upper edge 'of the crank 66 in a clockwise direction (FIG. '9). An electrical contact 74 is mounted on the upper end of the crank 66 in normal spacedrelation to a sec- 0nd contact 75 adjustably mounted on the vertical extension 73 of the leveling plate 61. The adjustable contact 75 is positioned so that the contacts 74, 75 will close when a rim dip in a jar is sufii-ciently deep to .be objectionable and the closing of the contacts 74, 75 operates the container reject system to remove the defective ,jar as will be vdescribed below.

In the preferred embodiment of the adjustable contacts as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the adjustable contact 75 is threadably mounted on a support arm 76 and the preliminary adjustment for contact closing is made by turning thecontact 75 to the desired position and by locking it with the lock nut .77. A fine adjustmentfor setting the exact closing point and thus the depth at which the rim. dips will be detected for rejection is. provided for by having a notch 78 cut lengthwise of the arm 76 and by having the free leg 79 0f the divided arm positioned by a fine adjustment screw 80011 the free leg 79 which seats against the opposite leg 81 which is connected to the vertical extension 73 of the -leveling .plate :61. With this arrangement it is possible to set the contacts to have an inspection sensitivity of greater than one thousandth of an inch so that, for example, a rim dip of eight thousandths of an inch in one type of container Will pass inspection whereas a rim dip of nine thousandths of an inch Will be rejected as being objectionably deep.

As described above, jars 5 in which no dips are detected as being deep enough to be objeitionable pass through the inspection station A without the contact closing. It is necessary that these normal jars be carried past the defective jar take-off wheel 8 by the star wheel 7 so that they pass onto the normal jar take-off wheel 9. This is done by providing a vacuum operated holding system for normal jars 5 which holds them in the star wheel 7 as they are carried past the opening 8'7 in the jar guide rail 82 adjacent to the defective jar take-oil wheel 8 and which is cut ofi by the closing of contacts 74-, 75 to cause defective jars to pass onto take-oft wheel 8.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, a vacuum outlet 88 is provided at each pocket 35 in the star wheel 7. A vacuum drawn at this outlet 88 holds the jars 5 against the rollers 47 of the star wheel 7 keeping the jars 5 in osition in the star wheel 7. The vacuum system includes the hollow vertical posts 53 and a cooperating connecting conduit 89 in the head support 52 (FIG. 3) for each pocket outlet 88. As channel 89 rotates beneath the stationary manifold 90 during the rotation of the inspection turret 3, the arcuate manifold opening 91 in manifold 90 connects the vac uum outlets 88 to a source of vacuum during the period while the jars 5 are being moved past the opening 87 in the guide rails 82 adjacent to the defective jar take-01f wheel 8. The vacuum source is cut-off from outlets 88 by further rotation of the inspection turrent 3 so that the normal jars in which no defect has been detected are carried out of their respective star wheel pockets 35 when they reach the normal jar take-off Wheel 9.

As described above, jars 5 in which an object-ionably deep rim dip or wavy rim has been detected close the electrical contacts 74, 75. These contacts operate the jar reject system in the following manner to cause the defective jars to pass onto the defective jar take-off Wheel 8.

This is done by causing the closing of the contacts 74, 75 on the head 4 to energize a push-type solenoid 100 (FIG. 3) whose armature 101 moves a valve member 102 inwardly of the head support 52. The valve member 102 blocks the vacuum conduit 89 in the head support 52 and thereby release the vacuum at the vacuum outlet 88 so that the defective jar 5 is carried out of the star wheel pocket 35 as the defective jar 5 moves across the rotating defective jar take-01f wheel 8.

The preferred electrical circuit for operating the pushtype solenoid 100 to cut off the container holding vacuum is illustrated in FIG. 14. Since the rejection contacts 74 and 75 as well as the push-type solenoids 100 are mounted on the rotating inspection turret 3, the electrical circuits for these elements include a series of collector rings 103, 104 and 105 to connect these moving elements with a source of electricity as illustrated in detail in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Each solenoid 100 which cuts off the vacuum to release defective jars 5 at the take-off wheel 8 is energized by being connected across an AC. voltage source 106 through collector rings 104 and 105 and the contacts 107 of a reject control solenoid 108.

The contacts 74, 75 on each inspection head 4 which are closed when a defective jar 5 is detected operate the reject control solenoids 108 through a separate thyratron trigger circuit 109 which will now be described.

Each trigger circuit 109 is supplied with a D.C. voltage from a DC). power source 110 by having the positive terminal 112 of the source 110 coupled to the trigger circuit through collector ring 104, brush 113 and line 114 and by having the negative terminal 115 of the source 110 coupled to the trigger circuit through collector ring 103, brush 116 and line 117.

The plate 118 of the thyratron 119 is coupled to the positive voltage line 114 through the control solenoid 108. The cathode 120 is coupled to the voltage divider 121, 122 to provide a negative bias on the control grid 123.

The collector ring 103 has one acruate portion 124 insulated from the remainder. This is the only energized portion of ring 103 and it corresponds to the arcuate inspection station A for the inspection heads 4 so that DC. voltage is applied to the trigger circuit 109 only during the inspection operation. The condenser 125 is connected across the resistor 122 of the voltage divider 121, 122 to delay the build-up of plate voltage to prevent the simultaneous application of plate and grid voltage which would cause the thyratron to fire before the grid could obtain control.

When the contacts 74, are closed by a defective jar 5, these contacts 74, 75 connect resistors 126 and 127 across the 'DJC. voltage between line 114 and 117 to bring the grid 123 to a less negative level thereby causing the thyratron 119 to fire and the contacts 107 of the control relay 108 to close.

The thyratron 119 will continue to conduct keeping relay 108 closed and solenoid energized until the DC. voltage is cut-ofi by the brush 116 moving oif the collector ring segment 124.

The rectifier 128 is provided to prevent the condenser from discharging back through the plate circuit to close the relay *108 after the DC voltage is removed from the thyratron 119.

The trigger circuit 109 is made extremely sensitive so that the rejection system operates for momentary closings of the contacts 74, 75 to give the detector a positive action whenever a fault is detected. The sensitivity of the trigger circuit is controlled by resistor 129 in the grid circuit.

The DC. power supply 110 has a time relay 130 for delaying application of the DC. voltage to thyratron 119 until the filament 131 has been energized.

The push-type relays 100 when energized move their armature 101 radially inwardly of the head support 52 to slide the vacuum cut-oif valves 102 to their closed position in their vacuum conduit 89 so that the jar 5 associated with that position is released onto defective take-off Wheel 8. The valves 102 remain in their inward or closed position until they are moved outwardly to their open or normal position by the circular cam 132 (FIGS. 3 and 5). Cam 132 is mounted on the stationary post 16 and has its outer camming surface 133 slidably engaging the inner end of each of the valves 102 to return them outwardly to their normal or open position after they have rotated past the defective jar take-off wheel 8 and prior to another inspection cycle.

As described above, the arcuate manifold opening 91 (FIG. 6) which communicates with vacuum conduits 89 to provide the vacuum at each of the vacuum outlets 88 terminates just beyond the opening 87 for the defective jar take-off wheel 8 so that there is no vacuum at the vacuum outlets 88 by the time they pass the normal jar take-off wheel 9. This causes all jars 5 in which no defect has been detected to be drawn out of the pockets 35 and onto the normal take-01f wheel 9. At this point the cam 132 has restored each of the vacuum control valves 102 to its normal open position so that the valve 102 is ready for another inspection cycle. The control relays 108 have also been opened preparatory to another inspection cycle since the brush 116 associated with the trigger circuit 109 for each of these control relays has or bottoms. In this preferred arrangement, the rim dip inspection machine 1 is provided with an optional feed so that it may be connected into the container feed line 140 whenever the rim dip inspection is desired.

A sliding switch 141 is provided at the entry end 142 of the feed line 140. A pair of diagonally arranged guide rails 143 are positioned as shown to feed the containers into the rim dip inspection conveyor 6 or alternatively a pair of longitudinally arranged guide rails 144 may be slid into position to feed the containers directly to the inspection machine 145. When the rim dip machine 1 is being used so that the normal containers in which no rim dip has been detected are placed onto the normal jar take-off wheel 9, a second switch 146 is moved to the position illustrated in FIG. 13 so that the diagonal guide rails 147 carry the containers from the take-oft wheel 9 to the inspection machine 145. When the rim dip inspection machine 1 is being by-passed, switch 146 is moved so that the straight-line guide rails 149 carry the jars directly to the second inspection machine 145.

The operation of the inspection machine which has been discussed in part above in connection with the description of the machine will now be summarized.

The machine is first adjusted for the particular size of containers or jars to be inspected by a suitable positioning of the jar guide rails and the jar rotating friction shoes 46. Where necessary the cam 54 for controlling the vertical position of the sealing heads 4 is also adjusted for the particular height of the jars to be inspected. As illustrated in the drawings, both the container wheels 64 and 64' and the sensing wheel 65 on each inspection head 4 are prefera bly relatively long in an axial direction so that the inspection heads may be used for a wide range of container rim sizes without adjustment. The proper size pockets 35 are mounted on the star wheel 7.

The jars or containers 5 which are to be inspected are fed into the machine in a continuous line on the feed convey-or 6. At the end of the conveyor 6 the intermittently opening gate 36 admits a jar 5 to each pocket 35 in the rotating star wheel 7.

The star wheel 7 then carries each jar 5 along an arcuate path and into engagement with a series of friction shoes 46. By frictionally engaging the outer sidewalls of each jar 5, the friction shoe 46 causes each of the jars 5 to rotate about their vertical axis. Simultaneously with the arrival of each jar 5 at the first friction shoe 46, the inspection head 4 mounted above that jar and being rotated along the same arcuate path as the jars 5 by the revolving turret 3 is lowered down and into engagement with the jar rim by the cam 54.

When the inspection head 4 engages the jar rim, the sensing roller 65 on the jar inspection head 4 rolls on the rim of the rotating jar 5 so that its vertical position is controlled by the level of the jar rim. When the roller 65 encounters a rim dip, it moves the rim dip detecting contacts 74, 75 toward each other by an amount proportional to the depth of the rim dip. The contacts 74, 75 close for all rim dips deeper than the present amount. The closing of these contacts operates a control relay 108 which is connected to a push-type solenoid 100. The push-type solenoid 100 operates the valve 102 as illustrated in FIG. 3 to shut-off the container retaining vacuum system. The container retaining vacuum system includes a vacuum outlet 88 (FIG. 12) which normally holds each jar 5 on the star wheel 7 as the jars are moved past a defective jar take-off wheel 8. When the push-type solenoid 100 is operated by a rim dip in a defective jar and cuts oif the vacuum for that jar, the defective jar is released from the star wheel 7 and it passes onto the take-oft wheel 8.

Jars 5 in which no objectionably deep rim dips are detected are carried past the defective jar take-off wheel 8 to a normal jar take-cit wheel 9. The above described vacuum manifold opening 91 (FIG. 6) terminates prior to this point to cut off the vacuum for all pockets 35 at this point thus causing all of the jars 5 which have not been rejected to pass onto the normal jar take-off wheel 9. A valve reset cam 132 returns any of the valves 102 which have been operated by the rim dip system to their normal outward position for the operation of another inspection cycle.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a relatively simple and inexpensive machine for the automatic high speed inspection of containers or jars for objectionable rim dips or Wavy rims. The machine is capable of detecting rim dips which may provide poor sealing even though the rim dips are so slight as to escape detection by visual inspection. The machine is also capable of a sensitive high speed rim dip inspection which discriminates between rim dips which are unobjectionable and those which are sufiiciently deep to make the containers unacceptable. By being capable of such exact discrimination, the inspection machine prevents sealing failures while at the same time minimizing the number of jars rejected by preventing the rejection of those jars which have rim dips which are not objectionably deep. The machine is also rugged and reliable as well as being easily adjustable for use with a wide variety of jar shapes and sizes.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A container rim inspection machine comprising the combination of a container conveyor having spacing means to move containers in spaced relationship continuously along an arcuate path, a plurality of container rim inspection heads mounted above the container spacing means, means to continuously move said inspection heads in synchronism with said conveyor above said arcuate path, a leveling member pivotally mounted on each of said heads, a contact member pivotally mounted on each of said leveling members, container engaging rollers on said leveling and contact members, defect sensing means mounted on one of said members and positioned to resiliently engage the top of a container rim and to orient itself with respect to container rims disposed in planes varying from the horizontal, 'means to provide relative rotational movement of the sensing means around the container rim whereby the position of the sensing means is determined by the variation of the rim surface from the plane of the rim surface, signal means operatively connected to said movable sensing means to selectively detect rim variations from the plane of the rim surface on defective containers greater than a predetermined amount, and container rejection means operatively coupled to said signal means to remove said defective containers from said conveyor.

2. A container rim inspection machine comprising the combination of a container conveyor having spacing means to move containers in spaced relationship continuously along an arcuate path a plurality of container rim inspection heads mounted above the container spacing means, means to continuously move said inspection heads in synchronism with said conveyor above said arcuate path, means to position a plurality of said inspection means simultaneously in engagement with containers on the conveyor, a first head support member pivotally mounted on each head and having container engaging roller means, a second head support member pivotally mounted on each of said first head support members and having container engaging roller means, a defect sensing means movably mounted on one of said members in position to resiliently engage the top of a container rim and whereby it is oriented with respect to the plane of the container rim, means to provide relative rotational movement of the sensing means around the container rim whereby the position of the sensing means is determined by the variations of the rim surface from the plane of the rim surface, electric signal generating means operatively connected to said movable sensing member to selectively detect rim variations from the plane of the rim surface on defective containers greater than a predetermined amount, and cont-ainer rejection means operatively coupled to said signal means.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 2 in which said rejection means comprises a vacuum outlet at said spacing means for holding containers onto said spacing means, and valve means operatively coupled to said signal means for releasing said vacuum.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 2 in which said defect sensing means comprises an elongated roller adapted for rolling engagement with container rims of varying diameter.

5. An inspection machine for circular container rims comprising the combination of a container conveyor having spacing means to move containers in spaced relationship continuously along a predetermined path, a plurality of container rim inspection heads mounted above the container spacing means, means to continuously move said inspection heads in synchronism with said conveyor above said predetermined path, a leveling member pivotally mounted on each of said heads with its pivotal axis in the vertical plane of a rim diameter, a contact member pivotally mounted on each of said leveling members with its pivotal axis in the plane of a rim diameter subtantially normal to said first named first rim diameter, container engaging rollers on said leveling and contact members, defect sensing means mounted on one of said members and positioned on one of said pivotal axes to resiliently engage the top of a container rim and to orient itself with respect to container rims disposed in planes varying from the horizontal, means to provide relative rotational movement of the sensing means around the container rim whereby the position of the sensing means is determined by the variation of the rim surface from the plane of the rim surface, signal means operatively connected to said movable sensing means to selectively detect rim variations from the plane of the rim surface on defective containers greater than a predetermined amount, and container rejection means operatively coupled to said signal means to remove said defective containers from said conveyor.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 5 in which said rejection means comprises a vacuum outlet at said spacing means for holding containers onto said spacing means, and valve means operatively coupled to said signal means for releasing said vacuum.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 5 in which said defect sensing means comprises an elongated roller adapted for rolling engagement with container rims of varying diameter.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 5 in which said means for providing rotational movement comprises an elongated friction member positioned adjacent said path for engaging and rotating containers moving al-ong said path.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said rejection means comprises a vacuum outlet at said spacing means for holding containers onto said spacing means, and valve means operatively coupled to said signal means for releasing said vacuum.

10. The machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said means for providing rotational movement comprises an elongated friction member positioned adjacent said path for engaging and rotating containers moving along said path.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,729,329 1/56 Pechy 209-74 2,789,680 4/57 Kerr 198-311 2,937,749 5/60 Strzala 209-88 2,988,218 6/61 Fedorchak 209-88 3,012,665 12/61 Hanot 209-80 3,073,034 1/63 Antoszewski 209-88 X 3,074,550 1/63 Moreland 209- OTHER REFERENCES Handbook of Electronic Control Circuits, by John Markus, 1959, 1st edition, page 298.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Acting Primary Examiner.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, SAMUEL F. COLEMAN,

Examiners. 

1. A CONTAINER RIM INSPECTION MACHINE CONPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A CONTAINER CONVEYOR HAVING SPACING MEANS TO MOVE CONTAINERS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP CONTINUOUSLY ALONG AN ARCUATE PATH, A PLURALITY OF CONTAINER RIM INSPECTION HEADS MOUNTED ABOVE THE CONTAINER SPACING MEANS, MEANS TO CONTINUOUSLY MOVE SAID INSPECTION HEADS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH SAID CONVEYOR ABOVE SAID ARCUATE PATH, A LEVELING MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID HEADS, A CONTACT MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID LEVELING MEMBERS, CONTAINER ENGAGING ROLLERS ON SAID LEVELING AND CONTACT MEMBERS, DEFECT SENSING MEANS MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND POSITIONED TO RESILIENTLY ENGAGE THE TOP OF A CONTAINER RIM AND TO ORIENT ITSELF WITH RESPECT TO CONTAINER RIMS DISPOSED IN PLANES VARYING FROM THE HORIZONTAL, MEANS TO PROVIDE RELATIVE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE SENSING MEANS AROUND THE CONTAINER RIM WHEREBY THE POSITION OF THE SENSING MEANS IS DETERMINED BY THE VARIATION OF THE RIM SURFACE FROM THE PLANE OF THE RIM SURFACE, SIGNAL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE SNENSING MEANS TO SELECTIVELY DETECT RIM VARIATIONS FROM THE PLANE OF THE RIM SURFACE ON DEFECTIVE CONTAINERS GREATER THAN A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT, AND CONTAINER REJECTION MEANS OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO SAID SIGNAL MEANS TO REMOVE SAID DEFECTIVE CONTAINERS FROM SAID CONVEYOR. 